Pomeranian dog

History of origin

How exactly the Pomeranian breed appeared is still not known for certain. For example, not far from the historical homeland of the Pomeranian Spitz, archaeologists have found the remains of the so-called “peat” dogs, which could well be the ancient ancestors of the Spitz. Also, the ancestors of the breed are considered to be the Siberian reindeer-hound huskies, from which they could inherit a chic thick coat. 

The first mention of the Spitz breed dates back to the end of the XNUMXth – beginning of the XNUMXth century. Spitz were popular with the peasants: the dogs guarded the vineyards and herds of cattle – more precisely, in case of danger they burst into loud barking, and the whole district came running to the rescue. 

In the 1871th century, the Spitz came to the royal palace and soon the Pomeranian was registered as a separate breed. Breeders continued to work hard on the dogs, striving for their miniature size. In XNUMX, Queen Victoria opened the English Pomeranian Club, and since then the breed has become popular all over the world.

Breed description

It is believed that the Pomeranian is a variety of the German Spitz, but many experts distinguish three more subspecies of the breed. Pomeranian dwarf bear type is distinguished by a slightly flattened muzzle. The Pomeranian fox-type muzzle is elongated, with a pointed chin and a button nose. The toy-type Pomeranian resembles the bear type, but their muzzle is shorter and more flattened, and their eyes are set wide apart. The ears of the Spitz are small and erect, and the tail is very fluffy and bent over the back. 

The Spitz has a very peculiar physique: height at the withers is equal to the length of the body, so the dog looks more like a square. But the main feature and visiting card of the breed is a thick luxurious coat with a dense undercoat that keeps the outer hair perpendicular to the body. On the chest of the Spitz, the fur forms a lush collar, and on the hind legs – fluffy “panties”. 

Spitz colors are very diverse: black, brown, white, red, gray and other shades. For solid-colored dogs, the presence of small spots is considered a defect. In spotted dogs, opposite the blotches should be evenly distributed throughout the body.

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Character

Pomeranians are very active: both at home and on the street, they will happily run, jump, run and communicate with others. Dogs are very kind, love to meet new four-legged friends and their owners. There will be no problems when the Spitz will have to be left for the holidays with friends – he will also obey them, like his masters. 

Pomeranians will not be able to get along in the same apartment with all the animals. He will only get along with a pet that does not have leadership qualities, like the Pomeranian himself. Spitz is unlikely to be able to make friends with a cat – he can bark at her for a long time and furiously. Dogs are quite demanding, they need a lot of attention. If you do not give them communication and affection, they will become aggressive and irritable. 

Spitz love children very much and will be happy to replenish the family. Dogs are especially good with children 4-5 years old, at this age they are especially interested in playing with them. When a Pomeranian will communicate with a child of this age, he will show all his protective qualities and will protect the baby. 

Care and maintenance

The thick and fluffy coat of the Spitz needs to be looked after very well. Every 3 – 4 days the dog should be combed out with a slicker brush, and then brushed with a regular comb. Every day the Spitz does not need to be combed, this can ruin her coat and undercoat. 

If the dog is very dirty, it can be washed with a special shampoo. Before water procedures, you need to carefully comb it so that later there are no problems. Try to wash the shampoo thoroughly so that there is no allergy or skin irritation. 

The teeth also need special care – get a special paste and brush at the veterinary pharmacy, so you will prevent the development of periodontal disease in your pet. Once a week, you need to clean the ears with a swab dipped in warm boiled water. 

Pomeranians are not very fond of long walks, so they can be accustomed to the tray so as not to go outside every day. 

It is advisable to feed Spitz with premium dry food. The feed should contain a large amount of protein. You cannot feed your pet from the table. Sometimes the dog can be given vegetables, fruits, pieces of meat at room temperature. There should always be a bowl of water next to the food bowl. 

Sweets, pork, sausage and sausages, fried, salty and flour will harm the health of the Spitz. Milk is not allowed for dogs in any case – it will cause bloating.

Education and training

Representatives of the breed are well trained and trained without difficulty, so that the owner does not need to apply strict methods. It is enough for them to show and explain once what is required of them. 

Chains, enclosures are contraindicated for Spitz – he must live next to people in order to fully develop and undergo socialization. The disadvantages of behavior include its dominance and loudness – due to its high activity, it can bark for hours on any occasion. You need to start training from 3 to 4 months, with the simplest commands. 

As with other active dogs, unpleasant behavioral traits appear sharply when the pet does not receive the necessary physical activity and walks a little.

Health and disease

With proper care, Spitz can live for many years – from 12 to 14. But often dogs have diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, problems with teeth and joints. They also catch cold very easily. 

Another serious problem is epilepsy, and the disease may not manifest itself for a long time. The first seizures usually occur before the age of two and are provoked by external factors: stress, malnutrition and a long separation from the owner. 

Hereditary diseases are dwarfism and nonunion of the skull. Umbilical hernia is also classified as a hereditary disease. Before buying a puppy, you need to check the parents for health.

Popular questions and answers

We talked about the content of the Pomeranian with zoologist Irina Makarenkova.